Flight Crew
SMS Operations & Individual Responsibilities

Dolphin Atlantic Inc. operates under a 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air charter certificate. The SMS belongs to everyone in the organization. While specific leaders have defined accountability, safety is a shared responsibility. Every employee contributes to identifying hazards, reporting concerns, and supporting risk controls.

Key Leadership Roles

• Accountable Executive (AE): Holds ultimate accountability for the SMS and has authority over resources needed to implement and maintain the system. Signs the safety policy [14 CFR §5.23, §5.25].
• Director of Safety (DOS): Manages day-to-day SMS operations. Administers the voluntary reporting system, reviews and classifies safety reports, opens and tracks corrective actions, conducts audits, and maintains safety records.
• Director of Operations (DO) and Chief Pilot: Exercise operational control and oversee the integration of flight operations within the SMS.
• Director of Maintenance (DOM): Oversees the maintenance program and its integration with the SMS.

Safety Action Group (SAG): Meets regularly to review safety trends, assess broader risks, recommend corrective actions, and support strategic safety initiatives.

Safety Board: Chaired by the Accountable Executive. Meets quarterly to review safety performance data, SPI trends, audit results, and provide strategic direction [14 CFR §5.5, §5.23, §5.25, AC 120-92D].

The voluntary safety reporting system is the primary mechanism for hazard identification. Submit a report for any safety concern (near-miss, hazard observation, operational error, equipment issue, or unsafe condition) at any time.

How to submit:

• Through FOS, or
• Directly to the Director of Safety at safety@goldaviation.com

What to report:

• Any event or near-miss that could have resulted in injury, damage, or loss.
• Any hazard you observe in operations, maintenance, facilities, or processes.
• Errors made or observed that could recur or could be learned from.
• Organizational conditions (pressure, fatigue, communication failures) that create safety risk.
• Anything that didn't go right and could impact safety, even if nothing went wrong.

What happens after you report:

1. Your report is received and recorded in FOS.
2. The Director of Safety reviews it and classifies the hazard and risk level.
3. If corrective action is required, it is opened and assigned in FOS.
4. Corrective actions are tracked to closure.
5. The system notifies you when the report is closed.
6. The Director of Safety may contact you for additional information or discussion when follow-up is needed.

The Flight Risk Assessment Tool (FRAT) is a mandatory pre-departure risk assessment required for every flight leg. No flight may depart without a completed and submitted FRAT.

The FRAT helps flight crews identify threats and apply mitigations before departure. It scores risk based on factors such as weather, crew fatigue, aircraft status, and operational pressures. High-risk flights require additional review and approval.

Just culture in flight operations means you can report errors, near-misses, and hazards without fear of punishment (non-punitive). It also means you are expected to use that protection responsibly to improve safety.

• If you make a mistake: report it. A self-reported error is handled very differently from a discovered unreported error.
• If you observe a colleague engaging in unsafe behavior: report it. We all have a part to play in safety.
• If you feel pressure from scheduling, dispatch, or management that is causing you to take shortcuts: it is reportable. Organizational pressure is a systemic hazard.
• Removal from duty for fitness concerns is a protected act/report.

As a pilot at Gold Aviation Services, your SMS responsibilities under 14 CFR Part 5 include:

• FRAT completion: Complete the Flight Risk Assessment Tool before every flight.
• Fitness to fly: Assess your own fitness before every flight. Fatigue, illness, medication effects, and psychological stress are disqualifying if they impair your ability to perform duties safely.
• Hazard and incident reporting: Submit a safety report for any unusual or safety-relevant occurrence (all events listed on the Mandatory Reports list are required to be reported).
• CRM and assertiveness: Speak up. If you observe something concerning at any phase of flight, you are expected and empowered to raise it.
• Training: Complete all assigned SMS training modules by the due date.